The Mccarthy & Stone Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: 1191504

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

Annual Giving: £300,000+ (estimated based on programme data)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 8-12 weeks (quarterly board review cycle)
Grant Range: £750 - £7,500
Geographic Focus: England, Scotland, and Wales
Total Impact: Over £1 million granted to 450+ causes since 2020

Contact Details

Address: 4th Floor, 100 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH8 8AQ

Phone: 01202 292480

Email: info@mccarthyandstone-foundation.org.uk

Website: www.mccarthystonefoundation.org

Application Support: Foundation Manager available for guidance on developing outcomes and applications

Overview

The McCarthy & Stone Charitable Foundation (registered charity 1191504) is an independent Charitable Incorporated Organisation established in December 2020. The Foundation works for a society where older people are valued, engaged, and connected with their community. Since launching, it has granted over £1 million to more than 450 grassroots charities and community groups across England, Scotland, and Wales. The Foundation provides financial grants, volunteers, and project support to organizations with income under £250,000 that serve people over 65. Led by Chair of Trustees Paula Jordan since November 2023, the Foundation prioritizes funding into areas with the highest deprivation for older people, ensuring resources reach communities with the greatest need. The Foundation's strategic approach emphasizes unrestricted core funding to give organizations flexibility alongside targeted programme grants addressing loneliness and isolation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Core Funding - Up to £7,500 (typically £3,000-£5,000)

Unrestricted funding for registered charities and community groups with people over 65 at heart of their work
Rolling application with quarterly Trustee Board reviews
Available only to registered charities and constituted community groups

Creating Connections Grant Programme - Up to £7,500

Awards 20+ grants annually to reduce loneliness and isolation among over-65s
Supports direct person-centered interventions such as befriending, group-based social activities, and community transport
Applications reviewed quarterly by Trustee Board

Small Festive Grants - Up to £750

Awards 30+ grants for festive celebrations and connections for over-65s
Targets most deprived areas of the country
Supports seasonal programming and events

Project Funding - Up to £7,500

Open to registered charities, community groups, and Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee
Supports new or existing programmes dedicated to people over 65
Can be restricted to specific project costs

Priority Areas

Social Connection Initiatives:

Befriending services pairing volunteers with isolated older people
Group-based activities (art classes, dance sessions, lunch clubs, coffee mornings)
Community transport helping bring older people together
Memory cafes and dementia support services

Intergenerational Activities:

Programs connecting older adults with children and young people
Projects with community regeneration elements
Initiatives building cross-generational understanding

Accessibility and Inclusion:

Activities that are free or low-cost at point of use
Services reaching older people in most deprived areas
Support for diverse older adult populations

Core Organizational Support:

Staff salaries and running costs for small charities
Office space and infrastructure for grassroots organizations
Training and volunteer deployment costs

What They Don't Fund

Organizations with income over £250,000 annually
Projects not focused on people over 65
One-off events without ongoing community impact (except festive grants)
Applications from organizations outside England, Scotland, and Wales
Organizations without proper constitution or charitable status
Projects without clear alignment to reducing loneliness/isolation or community connection

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Paula Jordan, Chair of Trustees - Independent HR consultant and Executive Coach with extensive experience in construction, financial services, and telecoms sectors. Founding trustee focused on organizational effectiveness.

Paul Teverson - Director of Communications at McCarthy Stone, managing corporate and public affairs communications. Previously led charitable partnerships.

Martin Edwards - CEO of Julia's House Hospice Charity with 25+ years in charity management and voluntary roles ranging from overseas aid to supporting UK families in crisis.

Sarah Allport - Head of Communities and Governance at Vivensa Foundation with extensive experience in grant funding, monitoring, and impact measurement for organizations serving those in later life.

Elizabeth Marsh - Experienced charity trustee and non-executive director of Elizabeth Finn Homes with 30+ years in commercial property sector and expertise in older persons' care.

Fiona Docherty - Former Managing Director of Your McCarthy Stone, led services for 540+ developments and 23,000+ customers, advising on stakeholder engagement and customer needs in later life.

Dr Kimberley Smith - Senior lecturer at University of Surrey with 46 published academic papers on aging well, investigating support for diverse older adult populations.

Staff Team

Julia Laister, Head of Foundation - Joined November 2022, former Marketing Manager at prominent global company, leads strategic direction and operations.

Chealsie Stewart, Foundation Coordinator - Leads fundraising efforts, events, and supports Welcome Wednesday initiative and grant programmes.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Two-Stage Process:

Expression of Interest - Submit initial online form through website
Full Application - Invited applicants complete detailed application

Application Portal: Available at mccarthystonefoundation.org/apply/

Pre-Application Support: Contact Foundation Manager for guidance on developing outcomes and strengthening applications

Decision Timeline

Quarterly Review Cycle:

Applications open and close on announced dates (e.g., opens August 1, closes August 29)
Shortlisting and due diligence (approximately 2 weeks)
Grants Sub-Committee review (e.g., September 11)
Trustee Board approval meeting (e.g., October 2)
Applicants informed and payments made shortly after board meeting

Typical Timeline: 8-12 weeks from application close to decision notification

Notification Method: Email to primary contact provided in application

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation reports:

Over £1 million granted to 450+ causes since December 2020
Continual rise in grant applications received year-on-year
Creating Connections programme awards 20+ grants per round
Festive grants programme awards 30+ grants annually
One Spring programme disbursed over £170,000 to multiple recipients

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in public materials. Applicants should contact the Foundation Manager for guidance if previously unsuccessful. The Foundation runs multiple programmes throughout the year, offering different opportunities to apply.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Foundation

Four Core Assessment Criteria:

The Foundation evaluates all applications across Focus, Impact, Risk, and Organisation:

Focus: "Alignment with the foundation's priorities is essential. We seek intergenerational projects that work with older adults and young people, and ideally with a community regeneration element."

Impact: Clearly articulate what changes your funding will create and for whom. Develop SMART objectives - “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timescaled.” Example provided: “We will create 100 intergenerational friendships over the next 12 months, which will improve the wellbeing of isolated older adults” with measurement through validated scales at set intervals.

Risk: Demonstrate “robust plans in place to control any potential risks” and show how your organization will deliver planned outcomes and manage potential obstacles.

Organisation: Show strong governance, current reporting compliance, track record with similar programs, inclusive practices, and geographic fit.

Practical Application Tips

Develop a Case for Support: Create a reusable document to streamline multiple applications
Include outputs AND outcomes: Show both deliverables and changes achieved
Budget transparency: Include details supporting core costs and salaries - these are valued
Avoid minimal submissions: “A one-line email asking for a grant is not likely to stand out”
Evidence local need: Demonstrating high level of local need is significant part of application
Deprivation focus: When all else is equal, priority given to applications working in more deprived areas
Contact for support: Foundation Manager available to help develop outcomes if needed

Recently Funded Projects as Examples

Successful project types:

Wag and Company (North East) - Training and deployment of 12 new Visiting Wag Teams to visit isolated older people no longer able to keep pets
Food Friends UK (Ashford, Kent) - Connecting volunteers who share home-cooked food with neighbors to alleviate isolation
The Together Project (Waltham Forest) - Intergenerational charity receiving transformative grant for first office/warehouse space
Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly (Scotland) - Core cost funding for dementia support facilities
Caraway (Southampton) - Funding for new memory cafes and carer courses

Common Success Factors

Grassroots focus: Small organizations (under £250,000 income) delivering direct services
Free/low-cost access: Activities accessible to people with limited means
Measurable impact: Clear outcomes with validated measurement approaches
Volunteer-driven: Strong volunteer engagement and deployment
Local connections: Deep understanding of and connection to local community
Innovation in delivery: Creative approaches to reducing isolation (e.g., pet visiting, food sharing)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Target the sweet spot: Requests between £3,000-£5,000 are standard; higher amounts considered for exceptional applications scoring highly on all criteria

Prioritize intergenerational work: Projects connecting older adults with young people, especially with community regeneration elements, are particularly valued

Evidence deprivation: Use data to demonstrate high local need and deprivation levels in your target area - this is a tiebreaker when applications are otherwise equal

Think unrestricted: The Foundation values core cost funding including salaries and running costs - don't shy away from these in your budget

Develop SMART outcomes: Invest time in specific, measurable outcomes with clear measurement approaches using validated scales at set intervals

Use the two-stage process strategically: The Expression of Interest allows you to test alignment before investing in full application

Build the relationship: Contact the Foundation Manager for pre-application support - they offer guidance on developing outcomes and strengthening applications